According to an analytical report by The New York Times, the resurgence of Pakistani Taliban fighters in the country’s mountainous areas — and their advance toward major cities — has become the most serious security threat Pakistan has faced in the past decade.
The report states that the Pakistani Taliban fighters, whose activities had weakened a few years ago, have now reorganized and launched a strong guerrilla war against the Pakistani army.
The report further notes that although the army has attempted to curb the Pakistani Taliban through drone strikes and other attacks, it has lost many soldiers in the process, tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and local resentment toward the military has deepened.
The report adds that the presence of Pakistani Taliban has weakened the control of the Pakistani army — which regards itself as one of the region’s strongest forces — while its chief, Asim Munir, had recently discussed “regional security cooperation” with U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House.
Citing its sources, The New York Times reports that the expanding internal conflict in Pakistan has nullified the army’s previous achievements. The continued fighting in Bajaur, Swat, and Waziristan, the rise in civilian casualties from military operations, and widespread displacement have eroded public trust in the army’s policies and created growing skepticism.
The paper also quoted Asfandyar Mir, a researcher at Washington’s Stimson Center, as saying: “The growing strength of the Pakistani Taliban indicates that the balance of power is shifting against Islamabad’s security institutions.”
The report further adds that Pakistani Taliban fighters have intensified and refined their attacks against the Pakistani army; although civilians are sometimes caught in the crossfire.
The New York Times also cited a report by Pakistan’s Center for Peace Studies, which stated that in 2024, the number of attacks in Pakistan reached its highest level since 2015, with around 90 percent of them carried out by the Pakistani Taliban.
In the same analytical report, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) analyst Pearl Pandya told The New York Times that “the TTP’s focus has now shifted toward direct assaults on the military, but the army’s counterinsurgency strategy against them cannot be considered successful.”
Finally, The New York Times concluded that the Pakistani Taliban are transforming into a well-organized military force against the Pakistani army; a threat that the government of Pakistan finds extremely difficult, if not impossible, to contain.
